{"id":238354,"date":"2026-04-13T19:40:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T19:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/13\/arsenal-can-drop-zubimendi-by-unleashing-the-modern-day-vieira-in-new-role\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T19:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T19:40:14","slug":"arsenal-can-drop-zubimendi-by-unleashing-the-modern-day-vieira-in-new-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/13\/arsenal-can-drop-zubimendi-by-unleashing-the-modern-day-vieira-in-new-role\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal can drop Zubimendi by unleashing the modern-day Vieira in new role"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

This week will tell you an enormous amount about where this Arsenal<\/a> team are at. There’s no hiding from it; it’s arguably the biggest seven days of Mikel Arteta<\/a>‘s managerial career.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At the moment, the Spaniard is failing the test. The Gunners tasted Carabao Cup final failure, were knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league Southampton and then lost to fellow south coast outfit Bournemouth on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

While those two cup losses undoubtedly stung, the loss against the Cherries was undoubtedly the biggest gut punch.<\/p>\n

Arsenal may not have lost the Premier League<\/a> title just yet but the cracks are beginning to show. Their nine-point lead has been cut to six and if they lose in a huge clash against Manchester City next Sunday, the gap will be down to three with a game in hand for Pep Guardiola’s men.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"Mikel-Arteta-Arsenal-Bournemouth\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s time for the squad to stand up. If they win next weekend, it will not mathematically secure the title but it will be as good as done. A first league crown in over two decades awaits; what have you got for us Arsenal?<\/p>\n

In a bid to get over the line, Arteta needs to make a number of changes with Martin Zubimendi<\/a>‘s form perhaps the biggest worry right now.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n Why Zubimendi is a big problem for Arsenal<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n

Some of the biggest problems right now at Arsenal are undoubtedly in the attack. Against Andoni Iraola’s side on Saturday, they created an open play expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.18. In summary, they barely created anything to score from.<\/p>\n

Yet, in the middle of the park, a huge issue has occurred surrounding Zubimendi.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"Arteta-Zubimendi-Arsenal\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Signed from Real Sociedad last summer, the Spaniard had been celebrated as “the second best” midfielder in the world behind Rodri by Spain manager Luis De La Fuente, but he has struggled to live up to that billing, particularly in 2026.<\/p>\n

At the start of the season, the Spain international looked like a mighty fine signing. Declan Rice<\/a> couldn’t stop waxing lyrical about his qualities, hailing their partnership as “outstanding”.<\/p>\n

Speaking in November, Rice stated: “It’s been so easy to play with him [Zubimendi]. We only signed him in the summer and usually it takes a while to build a connection, but from the first moment we had together in pre-season, I could just tell that I was going to play some good football with him.”<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"Rice-Zubimendi-Arsenal\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

However, while that combination thrived in the early stages of 2025\/26, it is now a problem area for Arteta to address. Rice is not an issue, far from it. He was one of the very few players on the Arsenal team who tried to drive the team forward on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Yet, his partner in crime needs some time out of the team. The fact of the matter is that Zubimendi has too often been at the scene of the crime this term. His ability to evade the press has been called into question and he’s giving the ball away too often.<\/p>\n

On two occasions this season, the Spaniard has been dispossessed in the build-up to a goal, once against Tottenham at the Emirates for Richarlison’s goal and again when Bryan Mbeumo equalised the scoring for Manchester United back in January.<\/p>\n

He was at fault again last weekend, losing Alex Scott as the Bournemouth midfielder banged home the winning goal.<\/p>\n

What was also worrying was the scenes at the end.<\/p>\n

Zubimendi looked visibly upset and had to be consoled by Rice. We don’t know the full story there but it’s evident that the summer signing needs to be taken out of the firing line.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n How Arsenal can solve their Zubimendi problem<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n

The most obvious solution here would be to finally unleash Christian Norgaard. The Dane joined last summer alongside Zubimendi but has barely kicked a ball, featuring for just 56 minutes in the Premier League.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"Christian-Norgaard-Arsenal\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

As a result of that, it is unlikely Arteta will turn to the experienced midfielder. He could also look at Myles Lewis-Skelly but in a week where they face Manchester City, that feels like a gamble.<\/p>\n

So, how about Rice? For the majority of his Arsenal career, the Englishman has either played at the base of the midfield as a 6 or as a left-sided 8. From that latter role, he has thrived and soared to new heights. He’s in the conversation to win the Ballon d’Or because of his exploits as a more forward-thinking player since joining the Gunners in 2023.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Declan Rice by season<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Season<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Games<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Goals<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Assists<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2020\/21<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

35<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2021\/22<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

50<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2022\/23<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

50<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2023\/24<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

51<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

7<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2024\/25<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

52<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2025\/26<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

46<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

However, with a slight tweak to Rice’s role, it could get the entire Arsenal team playing in a far better manner. We’re not necessarily talking about playing the former West Ham man as a holding midfielder again but he needs to be transformed from a left-sided 8 into a right-sided 8.<\/p>\n

At the expense of Zubimendi, it’s a position that the 27-year-old could thrive in. Seen as something of a modern-day Patrick Vieira – an all-action midfielder who can bulldoze their way forward but also break up the play – the midfielder showed what he could do with a rare surge into the opposition’s half on the right side on Saturday.<\/p>\n

While he does the same on the left regularly, we need to see more of it on the right side. His running power is like very few, if any, in the current squad and his crossing ability could be truly unlocked from this area of the pitch, rather than checking back and cutting inside from the left.<\/p>\n

Not only would it solve the midfield problem, with Martin Odegaard or Eberechi Eze potentially operating from the left side, but it could also solve Bukayo Saka’s lack of output from the right flank.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \"declan-rice-arsenal\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The dynamics of this Arsenal team have felt off for a very long time and while this tweak is not the only one that could fix it, it is one that could help significantly.<\/p>\n

\n\"Zubimendi-Gyokeres-Arsenal\"\n <\/picture>\n

\n
\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tAs bad as Zubimendi: \u00a365m Arsenal flop is their worst signing since Pepe
\n\t\t<\/a>
\n\t<\/h5>\n

Martin Zubimendi is not the only struggler in the Arsenal side right now.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week will tell you an enormous amount about where this Arsenal team are at. There’s no hiding from it; it’s arguably the biggest seven days of Mikel Arteta‘s managerial career. At the moment, the Spaniard is failing the test. The Gunners tasted Carabao Cup final failure, were knocked out of the FA Cup by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":238355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6808],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-238354","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238354\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}